In Their Arms
by Scandinavian Sensation
Summary: Set after Izuku's fight with Shouto. Just a short expansion onto the scene where Ochako, Tenya, Tsuyu and Minoru realize Izuku has never had anyone there for him, and Izuku realizes that with his new ability to save people, that he, too, sometimes needs to be saved, and that he's not as alone as he's used to. Slight Izuku/Ochako


**Disclaimer: I do not own Boku no Hero Academia.**

 **Not much to say here. This is a one-shot, that MIGHT have a second chapter depending on whether people want it.**

 **No flaming, please.**

 **Takes place directly during the Sports Festival, but before the match between Todoroki and Bakugou. Pretty much during the scene where Izuku is in the 'hospital' with Recovery Girl and All Might. It's an extension on that.**

 **So enjoy!**

* * *

"He's got a crush fracture in his right hand."

That one sentence caused All Might's stomach to drop and his heart to nearly stop. He _wished_ he could smile, just like he did when facing against unmentionable odds. He _wished_ he could fix this, just like how he fixed everyone's problems. But this was a problem that went beyond a simple smash. This was a problem that was beyond _him_.

Recovery Girl's look of disapproval was hard to miss as she read off the implications of her patient's injury. "I won't be able to revert it back to the way it used to be... not as cleanly as before, that is. The biggest concern will be removing the bone fragments so that they don't get stuck in his joints and cause further tearing. Healing will just have to come later."

All Might's gaze was averted from his younger protégée, fear and concern washing over him like a tidal wave. It threatened to push him over the edge, but he knew there was nothing he could do, lest he found a way to prevent Izuku from ever coming in contact with anyone ever again. And something told him that the young green-haired boy would _still_ find a way to find someone.

The old woman leveled All Might will a look that dripped with disappointment. All Might didn't even have to be looking- he could feel her rage.

"You made him destroy his own body to _this_ ," she said, gesturing to Izuku's unconscious body, "out of a simple longing for you... _you_ lit a fuse that ultimately led to this detonation."

All Might cast a glance upon Izuku's battered and broken body, his eyes drifting to every burn, scratch and bruise that littered his small body. He could feel the ache in his heart growing stronger with every passing second. It was almost as if every injury he was seeing, he felt on his own body. How the young boy managed to endure all this was beyond the Pro hero.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"I-I can't stand this..." Recovery Girl said. Her body was nearly shaking, whether from rage or fear, All Might couldn't quite tell. He knew she'd seen some gruesome injuries in her day, even some death, but to see a young boy continually pushed to the point of utter devastation? It was enough to scare anyone. "This is overdoing it for both you, and this child."

She stuck her arm out quickly, slashing it through the air in a slicing motion. "And don't even _think_ about praising the boy for this. This is unacceptable."

 _'I-I know...'_ All Might thought to himself, barely containing his emotions. His body shook quietly, trembling under the knowledge of what he had pushed this teenager to. He may not have directly caused the pain, nor the injuries, but he might of well have. _'I know... and yet, I do nothing.'_

 _'Why?'_

All Might finally broke his gaze, and cast his sight downward, closing his eyes and hanging his head. _'I am-'_

"DEKU!"

"MIDORIYA!"

All Might stiffened like a rod, his eyes shooting open as he realized he wasn't in his Hero-Form. He couldn't escape, either. He was stuck in the room.

The sudden noise, plus his name(s) being yelled caused the young patient to slowly crack an eye open, his consciousness returning to him for a few fleeting seconds. His jade eyes, usually sparkling with life and intelligence, were dull and tired, but no less alive deep inside their depths. Though he was beyond confused, he found the strength to speak.

Weakly, he said, "H-hey guys... what are you...?"

It was Iida, who spoke first, no less former than usual. "It seems because of the stage's total pulverization, that there's a break for repairs."

"We were just so worried that we had to visit!" The bubble voice of Ochako came next, though her enthusiasm was replaced by her curiosity in the new face. "Uh, hi... nice to meet you?"

All Might knew he was in a tight bind- if he said anything, his identity could be revealed, but he couldn't very well say nothing, either. His brain quickly listed off a few ways he could mask his voice, but before he was forced to do anything, he was saved by another outburst- this time from Mineta.

"That was scary, Midoriya! No Pro is gonna want that!"

Izuku's face fell slightly as his tired brain processed that information. He knew it was rather reckless of what he did, but he also knew... he knew _someone_ had to do something. If nobody did anything, and everyone turned a blind eye... what was the point of heroes?

Instead of letting his thoughts out, he decided to sigh, but thankfully, Tsuyu was more than capable of helping. "Not digging the way you're pouring salt in the wound."

It seemed Mineta was no stranger to taking a hint, for he said, "But it's true, isn't it?!"

Uraraka put her hands on her hips and looked down at the small boy. "That doesn't mean you should say stuff like that! We came to see Izuku and help him feel _better_! Not _worse_!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Izuku begin to tremble. His eyes were covered by his bangs, but she could make out the faint glistening of tears streaking down his face. Her face fell- had they made him feel _that_ bad? She barely noticed Iida beginning to scold Mineta on proper care-taking etiquette, nor did she noticed Tsuyu's striking Mineta with her versatile tongue.

"I-Izuku?"

Her light tone caused everyone's clamoring to stop and look toward the injured teen they'd originally come to see.

"Did we upset you? We can g-"

"N-no." Izuku sniffled, trying to wipe away the tears, but finding he had no arms to move. Uraraka didn't know it was appropriate to do it for him, but before she could think about whether it was right or not, she found herself delicately bringing her hand to his face and lightly brushing his cheek to clear the tears. The second her fingers made contact with his face, he froze and went rigid, but after a second, he seemed to settle slightly. The rest of the room simply watched, too entranced by what was going on.

All Might, having settled into the background, watched with keen interest, but still felt the lead that seemed to be sitting in his heart. He could barely look upon Izuku's body without feeling the injuries himself.

"That's not it..." Izuku mumbled, somewhat put off by having a _girl_ touch him. However, he was too tired to think too much about it. "I-I've just... never had anyone care about me like this, before."

Recovery Girl _knew_ she needed to get these students out of her office, so that she could get started on his surgery. Not only that, but the teen needed rest, not to be crowded by a bunch of people! But... her instincts told her to heal people. That was why she was a hero- she used her powers to heal everyone she could. Now, she was watching a girl heal... with just her presence. All of them, to be exact.

He needed to be healed, she found. His mental state was broken, and she was not oblivious to that, as much as the green-haired boy thought he was sly. She could tell he harbored deep resentment and self-consciousness toward himself. Knowing he was Quirkless before One-For-All meant she knew he was likely bullied very significantly throughout his life- and she knew that had long-term effects on his mental health.

He'd never had friends up until now. He needed this just as much as he needed the surgery.

"W-what do you mean?" Uraraka asked quietly. She was unable to understand how a boy _this_ nice was unable to find people who cared. Iida seemed to reciprocate her thoughts.

"You don't mean to say you've never had friends, do you?"

Tsuyu didn't speak- she just watched Izuku avert his eyes, and suddenly, she knew _perfectly_ well what Izuku meant. And she knew how right Iida really was, without Izuku even saying anything. She knew it, simply because she, too, had gone through it.

Mineta was strangely quiet, as he felt somewhat out of place. He didn't have much to contribute, because to him, Izuku had seemed so _cool_. He was always willing to risk himself, from the first moment he'd seen him in the fiasco with the League of Villains, all the way until now... he'd been so ready to throw everything away to protect everyone he considered a friend. He didn't stop in the face of adversity, he just found a way to smash it to oblivion... and he thought that was the coolest thing.

He never even considered the possibility of Midoriya not having comrades, or friends to call his own. It seemed so... unlikely.

But now, looking upon his fractured look, he could suddenly see it- the years of loneliness and the quiet wishes that he'd likely mumbled, hoping to have some sort of friend.

"Deku."

That single word caused the green-haired boy to look directly at Uraraka with a surprised- no less tired- look.

"You said... deku was an insult, right?" He nodded once. "And that Bakugou gave it to you?" Another nod.

"Did he... bully you?"

This time, Izuku didn't move his head. Strangely enough, it made sense. Uraraka had never said anything, because she had never felt it her place to comment, but she'd always noticed his fascination with the explosive boy's strength, even before all this. Back, when he'd told her how badly he wanted to beat him during the Hero vs. Villain simulation training, she'd seen glimpses into his life and how he idolized the blonde-haired boy, despite his cruel treatment.

She knew he didn't want to say yes, because he was a hero. Both of them were. And heroes... they weren't supposed to bully, right?

He wasn't going to answer. She knew that.

"I said your Deku sounds like 'you can do it'. And I think you can... but we can help, you know? We're... friends. All of us. You're not alone."

Iida took a step forward, and smiled- _genuinely_. "You're never going to be alone, again. We're with you."

Tsuyu gave her 'frog-smile' but the sincerity in her eyes shone brighter than anything her smile could've suggested. Even Mineta's presence meant a lot to the injured hero. He couldn't stop the tears that pooled in his eyes, but once more, they were stopped, this time, by All Might. The older man, despite his broken look, gave a weak smile toward the injured boy who idolized him for so long. At the same time, Recovery Girl stepped in, ushering the group back, clamoring about "giving the boy space", and "getting back to their seats".

"It's fine if you're worried, but he needs to be prepped for surgery!"

All of them, shocked, yelled out the same thing. "Surgery?!"

"Yes, you can see him afterwards!" Recovery Girl paused, and in a low voice, said, "I know he'd appreciate it."

A look of realization dawned over the group, and despite their concern, they nodded. Uraraka made one last eye-contact with Izuku before his eyes closed again, succumbing to exhaustion.

But before he fell to the world of darkness, he heard All Might say one thing.

"Butting in... the way you did... it can't always be helped. But you know what? Butting in... is a main principle for being a hero."

And behind closed doors, the four heroes-in-training all looked at one another, thinking the same thing.

 _'We're here for you..._

 _Izuku.'_


End file.
